If Reincarnation Worked Fairly
by Mistress of Tales
Summary: Cats. Familiar cats. Just that, really.


Disclaimer: Sandra owns the kitties. But how can the poor woman be expected to give them all the attention they deserve?

Dedication: to MY kitties… We're gonna see Cats in November, trallala, trallala… *does the happy dance in tutu* And to one special of those kittens: this is kinda like you and me, right?

If reincarnation worked fairly…

Tanis opens her door, and whines excitedly.

- Lily!

- Tanis!

Some excited huggles later, the two women part, and Tanis let Lily in.

- You come here waay to rarely, Tanis chides.

- You don't come south very often yourself!

- Well, *I* have an excuse, Tanis says, as a small, white cat skids excitedly across the floor towards them. Lily lifts it up, and it mews happily, kicking its feet eagerly.

- This one is a bunch of energy, isn't it? she exclaims.

- Yes, Harley is constantly like that. All over the place. Especially where he shouldn't be. So how are you?

- Great, working and being married and all that stuff. And you've reached your career goals, I see.

- Yup. I am 24 and already a crazy cat lady.

- You must be so proud… oooh!

Lily puts down the small, white hairball, and skips over to a commode, where another white cat lies. This one has another shade of white, though: sort of pearly, shimmering, with a slightly bluish streak across its head. She reaches out to touch it, and receives a scratch across her hand.

- Ohh, be careful, Tanis warns, coming out from the kitchen with a mug of tea in each hand. – Collin isn't one for being touched.

Another cat jumps up on the commode.

- Wow, a black cat! Not superstitious, are you?

- Oh, he isn't black, but you can only tell in proper light. He is just very dark brown. Actually, in the right kind of shade his head seems sort of purplish-black. His name is Fox. Don't ask me why, it just sort of stuck.

- He doesn't look much like a fox, Lily concedes, as the not-black cat nuzzles the arrogant white one. It doesn't object.

- C'mon, lets sit and blabber about nonsense, I get too little of that these days.

They walk into the living room, and are met by more feline sights.

- Does pretty mean touchy all the way, Lily asks, kneeling next to another cat.

- No, Tybalt is usually no stranger to being pampered with. Unless he is in a *mood*. Sort of an artistic temper in him.

The graceful, red cat lets Lily stroke him for a while, and then ignores her, walking across the floor towards Harley. As Lily sits down, the red purrs deeply. Harley's fur quickly rises, and he hisses a warning, without discouraging the other.

- Those two just never seem to get along, Tanis sigh. – If I didn't know any better, I'd say Tybalt was hitting on him.

- Well, why not? Cats probably flirt too. You have never had a problem with comparing cats and humans before.

- Because, Tanis says, - I have checked several times, and both Harley and Tybalt are toms.

Lily shrugs. – So? It works for humans.

- Yeah… I guess that would explain the jealousy-part…

- What part is that?

Tanis nods towards the floor, where a big, brown tom has joined the sputtering white. The red slinks away, head still held high.

- Wow, Lily breathes, - that was practically soap opera!

- I know. That's Mikhael. He and Harley always stick together. I don't have normal cats that are just interested in food and play. It has to be this house that does it…

- Those two seem to be normal, though. Lily points to two new cats, which come skidding in from the kitchen. First comes a young, dark one, with a crazy fur that spikes out all over his body. A chocolate brown one follows, skipping and jumping, chasing the other cat's tail.

- Cyanide and Skids, Tanis introduces. – Seems normal, yes, but watch.

The two cats tumble into a heap in the corner, rolling and playing, biting and mewing.

Suddenly – so quickly Lily doesn't see the move – the darker one is sitting several feet away, licking its paw with quick, unsteady movements. The lighter one sits in the corner, utterly confused.

- Happens every time. Play, play, play – and run away.

Skids jumps up on the window sill, and mews. Tanis stands up and opens the window. Further mewing makes Cyanide and Harley join him, and they jump out, continuing their eager game on the lawn. Mikhael has curled into a ball on a chair. As Tanis starts to close the window, Tybalt jumps up too, and she lets him out before closing. She glances at Mikhael.

- Before I got him, I didn't know cats _could_ snore, she says. And true enough: a deep, rhythmic sound rumbles from the big cat.

She sits in the sofa, and smiles at her best friend.

- Have you ever thought of taking them to a cat show? Lily says. – They are beauties, and a couple of them have to have a pedigree.

- Well, I have thought about it, but I don't think I could make any one of them sit nicely for so long. They'd run away just for the hell of it. Perhaps Tybalt, though; he'd probably enjoy the attention.

A screech makes Tanis jump up and run towards the window. She looks out, and sighs.

- And there goes his chances of becoming champion. He just never learns; Harley is going to mark his nose permanently one day. Those little claws are damn sharp.

She sits down again, and smiles.

- We've been talking about cats for half an hour. Am I a crazy cat lady or what?

- You are a success, babe. But I have to ask: why are you doing this? I mean, having a cat or two that you can have someone take care of so that you can go on a holiday sometimes, that's normal. But so many cats? The more the merrier?

- Not really. I love all my cats, and I wouldn't want to lose a single of them, but I wouldn't become happier if I got one more. And still – I'd love to take in another one, and another one. And I'd love them just as much.

- So why?

- Because… because… It is sort of hard to say. I just see a cat and I think: Yes! That one! Because it speaks to something within me, I know it sounds silly, but… there is this feeling, I don't know how to describe it…

She pauses for a moment, and then says: - I guess you could say that some times, when you look into someone's eyes, you just feel like… Like you've met in a previous life.


End file.
